CompareUseful differences

Compare infectious diseases

The same route of exposure may involve very different agents. Compare the mechanisms and prevention, then consult the original records and sources.

Choose up to four diseases

Sickness 1

Sickness 2

Sickness 3

Sickness 4

Agents, Exposures and Prevention

Documentary comparison of 3 diseases; no estimate of individual risk
Benchmark	Poliomyelitis	Hepatitis A	Adenovirus infection
Agent	Poliovirus	Hepatitis A virus	Human adenoviruses
Family	Virus	Virus	Virus
Paths and contexts	Water and food Close contact	Water and food Close contact	Respiratory Close contact Water and food
What distinguishes disease	Very contagious viral infection that can, in a minority of cases, reach the nervous system and cause paralysis.	Acute infection of the liver transmitted mainly through the faecal route, via food, water or close contact.	Group of infections that may affect the respiratory tract, eyes or digestive system.
Prevention	Vaccination, surveillance, sanitation and hand hygiene.	Vaccination when recommended, safe water, sanitation and hand hygiene.	Hand hygiene, adapted disinfection and proper maintenance of swimming pools and community facilities.
Deepening	Form → WHO — reference	Form → WHO — reference	Form → CDC — référence ↗
Diagnosis and monitoring	Suspicion should be assessed promptly as part of health surveillance. Describe precisely the weakness and exposures; this sheet does not confirm an infection.	A specific blood test helps to confirm the infection. Liver tests evaluate the disease but do not refer to the virus responsible alone.	Review and the collective context guide possible tests. Specify if symptoms include eyes, breathing or digestion.
Preparing for an exchange with a professional	Documented vaccines and missing doses Date of weakness	Food, water and contacts concerned Dates of stay and symptoms	Eye damage, lung or digestion Pool and pooled cases

What this table allows to understand

The selected records cover 1 agent family/families. They share the following routes or contexts in our catalogue: Water and food · Close contact. These associations describe the selected data; they do not measure contagiousness, severity or personal risk.

To review a comparison, choose one row and open the reference for each column. A preventive measure mentioned in one record and absent from another is not necessarily unnecessary in the second situation: the summaries and their scope may differ.

If symptoms occurThe table does not select any test or treatment. A fever after a stay in the malaria area should be reported promptly, even if prevention has been taken.

Understanding agent, vector and exposure →

Choose up to four diseases

Agents, Exposures and Prevention

What this table allows to understand

Further reading